The First Day
by JadziaKathryn
Summary: One day can change your life forever- even if you don't remember it. Complete
1. That Which We Do Not Remember

Disclaimers: Paramount owns them. The sonnets quoted are, respectively, Sonnet 84 and Sonnet 81, both by William Shakespeare.

Author's Notes: This is a weird and wildly different idea that came to me while I was thinking about "Here Comes the Bride." I do intend to finish that, but this practically wrote itself. There will be more as soon as I decide…well, you'll see.

**The First Day**

At first, it had just been another away mission gone wrong, another few days in an alien prison before a valiant escape, another chance to prove that sometimes the good guys do win. Certainly, it struck the three of them as odd that they could remember only nine days of captivity, and Captain Archer insisted that they'd been missing for ten. Overall, though, they were just glad to be back. After Phlox had examined them, they intended to go back to their respective quarters and sleep on a mattress with a pillow.

Thus it came as quite a surprise when the doctor remarked casually, "Ensign, I wasn't aware that you are romantically involved with someone," as though it was the most natural thing in the world.

Trip had been looking down at his feet, waiting for the second he could go take a nice, hot shower. In fact, he'd only discounted jogging to his quarters because he lacked the energy to do so. The aliens, whose name he didn't even know, were not by any means overly generous with their porridge. Suddenly his head snapped up. "Nine- no, ten- hell, all that time in a cramped cell and you didn't tell us?"

Malcolm, who'd been released and was halfway to the door, whirled around. For a fleeting second, a look of pain crossed his face. "Hoshi?"

She was too tired to look perplexed. "Why do you think I'm involved with someone, Doctor?"

"You won't be able to keep it a secret much longer, Ensign. You're pregnant!"

Malcolm and Trip both looked as though they'd been hit with a heavy object, but that was nothing compared to the look on Hoshi's face. "What?"

"Congratulations!"

"That's not possible." Now she was irritated. Phlox had never done anything like this before. Malcolm and Trip appeared speechless.

"It's quite possible. You have not come for your last three birth control injections. Of course, now might not be the best time to start a family, but if that's what the two of you really want, I can… Ensign?"

"This is impossible."

"I assure you, it's not."

"I haven't been with anyone in almost a year."

He frowned. "Perplexing. Are you certain?"

"Of course I'm certain!"

Jumping into head-of-security-mode, Malcolm stiffened and began thinking. He didn't like what he came up with. "How far along is she?"

"Lieutenant, unless you are the father, I can't tell you that unless I have Ensign Sato's express permission."

Since she had no idea, it couldn't hurt to learn. "How far, Doctor?"

"Very well. I can't tell you exactly, but I would say that you're no more than two weeks pregnant."

Trip looked at Malcolm and it all made sense. "The tenth day."

By this time, Hoshi had gone into a sort of shock. "What?"

"The tenth day, Hoshi. The one we can't remember. Anything could've happened."

"An' if it was the first day…" Trip let her draw her own conclusion from that.

"What happened?" she whispered. Malcolm put his self-failure tirade on hold, for he could blame himself in his quarters later, and walked over to her. He gently put his hand on top of hers. Trip pulled her into a hug.

"Is it human?" She wasn't really sure that she wanted to know. Could she love a baby that was half-alien, conceived without her consent in a prison?

"Indeed. There is no doubt that your child is fully human."

Now Trip and Malcolm looked at each other. Hoshi sat between them, tears running down her cheeks.

"Um, Doc, can we have a little more ta go on?" Trip's shower had faded in importance to zero.

"Well, I can do a complete genetic scan. It will only take a few minutes."

"No." Hoshi's voice was firm. "Not yet, please. Give me a few days."

"If that's what you wish. I assume you would like me to refrain from mentioning this to the captain?"

She nodded.

Before Malcolm could open his mouth and say the phrase "security concern," Trip spoke for both of them. "We won't tell a soul till you're ready."

Inwardly sighing, Malcolm put friendship first and agreed. "Nobody. Want me to walk you to your quarters?"

Again, she nodded. Trip took up position on the other side of her, and they walked all the way to her quarters after Phlox handed her a bottle of vitamins and asked her to return in twenty-four hours.

They helped her onto her bed. "If there's anything you need, I'll do everything in my power to help." Offering emotional support had never been Malcolm's strong suit. In a twist of fate, the friend who taught him by example now needed it more than he ever could.

"Day or night, Hoshi," echoed Trip. He knelt down. "Want some company, or do ya need ta be alone?"

She inhaled so sharply that both men thought she'd pass out. "It was the first day."

"You remember?"

"The first day. It just came to me."

"You really remember?"

"Don't you? The first day, and I was reciting Shakespeare."

"What?"

"Think, Malcolm! Do you remember?

            _Who is it that says most? which can say more_

_            Than this rich praise, that you alone are you?_

Think, Malcolm, think!" She was becoming hysterical.

It hit him like a ton of bricks.

            "_In whose confine immured is the stone _

_            Which should example where your equal grew._

Bloody hell!"

"Wait, so this is…you guys…what?" stammered Trip in a failed attempt to form a coherent sentence.

"Trip, you have to remember!

            _From hence your memory death cannot take,_

_            Although in me each part will be forgotten. _

You can remember all your schematics, there's no way you can forget this!"

            He was about to deny it when a phrase popped into his head. It rolled off his tongue like Shakespeare never had before.

                        "_Your name from hence immortal life shall have,_

_                        Though I, once gone, to all the world must die._

What's it mean, Hoshi?"

Malcolm turned an uncomfortable shade of red. "Are you saying that you and Trip…" He trailed off, affected as Trip and similarly unable to form a sentence.

"I always thought Shakespeare was sexy," admitted Hoshi. "Those are my two favorite sonnets."

"Shakespeare and sex?" Trip had found his voice again, though it was quite weak.

"Both of us?" asked Malcolm.

"One of you has to be the father."

"I'm just gettin' bits and pieces of memory here. What happened?"

"Malcolm and I had sex. You and I had sex."

"I kinda figured. Why?"

"Mind-altering drugs?" suggested Malcolm, who was quite sure that he would never have done anything so improper in his right mind, especially in an alien prison.

"Phlox didn't find anything unusual." Although this seemed to Trip to be the only explanation, there were a lot of unknowns.

"Well, no offense, but I don't think we were quite ourselves," supplied Hoshi. "Why, oh why didn't I get those injections?"

"It's not your fault, Hoshi. It doesn't seem like it was anyone's fault. Don't blame yourself."

"Yeah, there's enough guilt ta go around. Don't hog it." This remark earned Trip a stern glare from Malcolm.

"Can we wait until morning to tell Phlox and Captain Archer?"

This went against every instinct Malcolm had, but again Trip cut him off. "I don't see why not. Nothin's gonna change."

Well, Trip was skirting around a big issue in Malcolm's opinion. "Hoshi. Do you want to keep it?" he asked quietly.

_Damn, _thought Trip, _I didn't even consider that!_

"Yes," she answered without hesitation. "I know it's just a few days, but I couldn't…I just couldn't do it."

"We're here for ya."

"Whatever it takes."

"Both of ya."

"Anything at all, Hoshi, and I mean it."

A small smile played at the corner of her lips, though the tears were fresh on her face. "Thank you. I don't know what to make of this."

"If it makes ya feel better, neither do I."

"This is all new to me. I only half remember that first day." Actually, half was a generous overestimation. Silence followed for a moment after these remarks. Hoshi wiped her tears, and the three of them stayed deep in thought, trying to recall more details and clues.

"I think I'd like to be alone for the night, if you two don't mind. Tomorrow at 0930 will you meet me here? We're going to have to go to Sickbay eventually."

"We should eat first."

"Trip, this better not be an indicator of how the next nine months are going to pass."

He hung his head. "I said we."

"Come on, Trip. I think we could all use a good night's sleep."

"Right. See ya tomorrow then."

"Thank you."

When they left, Hoshi started crying all over again. A seemingly endless stream of questions ran through her head until she was so exhausted she could stave them off no longer.

"Good morning! I must admit I didn't expect to see you so soon, Ensign. Lieutenant, Commander, you seem to have appointed yourselves Ensign Sato's bodyguards." This attempt at humor wasn't well received. All he got was a sum total of three stares.

"Well, Ensign, would you like that genetic scan now?"

"It's one of us," supplied Trip.

"Well then, the scan won't take long at all. Are you positive?"

"The first day," said Hoshi, "they must've given us something. Either Trip or Malcolm is the father."

"I didn't find any remnants of drugs in your blood."

"It's possible though, isn't it?"

"Yes, of course. I can't rule anything out."

"We can't remember everything, but we're sure." Malcolm was distinctly sure that the last day had been the most awkward of his entire life.

"Let me see. Ah yes, a perfect match."

"No!" exclaimed Hoshi. "I don't want to know."

"You don't want to know who the father is?" This he could hardly believe. Human patients had never been so complex before.

"Not ever?" said Malcolm, who was not at all fond of the idea.

"What would it change?"

When she put it that way, he didn't think it would change much. He would support her however she needed whether he was the father or not. Actually, his motives for wanting to know were purely selfish, in a claiming sort of fashion. He could've smacked himself, although he was pretty sure Trip was thinking the same thing.

"You sure, Hoshi?"

"Yes."

"Well, you can always change your mind, Ensign," said Phlox, who very much hoped she would. He also thought that she was still in shock. Soon, in his estimation, the emotional floodgates would open. The three of them were in for what he believed was known as a "rough ride."


	2. Escape Attempts

Jonathan Archer wanted nothing more to slink to his quarters and not leave for a week. Truthfully, he didn't think that a week would be enough time to grasp the situation he'd just been informed of, but it was better than having another four long hours on duty.

T'Pol had the bridge, and he intended to hide away under the guise of paperwork for the rest of his shift; quite possibly he would use the same excuse again soon. Hoshi was pregnant. Okay, that was unexpected enough, since he didn't think she was with anyone. Either Malcolm or Trip was the father. That was a shocker indeed, although Phlox confirmed this. He believed the three of them when they said mind-altering drugs were used. Fractured memories and Phlox's scans together, he was convinced.

What he really failed to understand was Hoshi's refusal to learn who the father was. Phlox knew, but wouldn't tell anyone without her express permission. Both Trip and Malcolm wanted to know. As their captain and friend, he wanted to know. It didn't seem right somehow, but that wasn't the kind of thing he could order Hoshi to do just because he disagreed.

It was going to be a long nine months.

Travis was shocked. Actually, he was beyond shocked, but lacked the mental cohesion to come up with a better word. It was just too much to believe- sensible, sweet Hoshi putting Trip and Malcolm through the torture of not knowing who the father was? It defied reason. Beyond that, it defied everything he knew about her. Was this some sort of post-traumatic stress thing? Or was it something deeper that he couldn't begin to comprehend? Unbelievable.

Even T'Pol had been stunned, or whatever the Vulcan equivalent was. She had lobbed several arguments Hoshi's way before realizing that Hoshi was beyond the usual emotional extremes for humans and also quite beyond the point of any reason.

He couldn't believe it. It was beyond his comprehension.

Hoshi Sato was reading in her quarters. _Litwo__! Ojczyzno moja! ty jesteś jak zdrowie..._ More accurately, she was trying to read. So far she hadn't gotten past the first paragraph. This was the latest in a string of failed attempts to forget her current situation. She had even tried being honest with herself, calling herself a coward. As long as she didn't know whether Trip or Malcolm was the father, she didn't have to face what the repercussions were. That only cemented her resolve. Escapism through truth wasn't any more effective than reading, or listening to Mozart's _German Dances_, or anything else she'd tried. Usually she read Shakespeare, involving herself in the complexity of the plot, but Shakespeare would never be the same again.

When the chime signaled a visitor, she sounded weary even to herself. "Come in."

It was Malcolm. "Hoshi?"

"I'm here."

"How are you feeling?"

"I've been better."

He mentally kicked himself. What a stupid question! "I have to apologize. I should never have…"

"Malcolm, it's not your fault. We were under the influence of alien drugs. If I could go back and change things, I'd have taken the birth control even though I didn't think I'd need it. But it's too late for that, and I couldn't live with myself if I didn't keep the baby."

"I think I understand."

"Do you? It's hard to explain. I'm not going to give this baby up, Malcolm, but I never wanted to…" her words after this were muted by sobs. He sat on the bed next to her and let her fall against him to cry.

"It's going to be alright, Hoshi."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Tucker to Sato."

She sniffed and took a deep breath. "Sato here."

"I'm savin' the last chocolate cupcake for ya, but the Doc says ya hafta have a meal too. Whatcha want?"

"Just some soup, I guess."

"French onion or tomato?"

"French onion."

"I'll bring it right by. Tucker out."

She sighed. "Malcolm, we're going to have to change my training sessions."

"I've already done it."

The opening words of _Pan Tadeusz_, a Polish book by Adam Mickiewicz.


	3. Living in Limbo

A/N: I feel kind of bad not telling you who the father is, but I haven't actually decided. I have two different ideas, one decidedly more angsty than the other. Soon the plots will diverge and then everyone will know. I promise!

Malcolm Reed was trying his utmost to stop himself from bemoaning fate. He'd just about been ready to ask Hoshi on a date. Well, now there were two options: either she was carrying his child, which was really his preferred option, or she was carrying his best friend's child. Now if he asked her out, it would seem like he was only doing it out of duty.

And what if the baby was Trip's? That was a question he really didn't want to know the answer to. Personally he thought that his friend was slowly developing affection for T'Pol, but that hardly mattered. Trip would put a child before anything else in his life, just as Malcolm himself would.

Of course this would be easier if Hoshi would agree to find out which of them was the father. Really, the uncertain limbo that they were living in was terrible. He didn't know why Hoshi would prefer it.

A few doors down, Trip was thinking about the situation as well. Unlike Malcolm, however, he couldn't decide whether or not he wanted to be the father. He'd never really thought of Hoshi romantically (and he had a sneaking suspicion Malcolm did), but he'd be lying to himself if he didn't, in some way, want to be the father. He'd always wanted kids. The situation was far from cut and dry, but he'd certainly like to know if he was the father.

At least Jon had believed them.

"The first six weeks of an unplanned pregnancy are the most difficult, Ensign. Your child is a perfectly healthy seven-week-old fetus. In fact, I can tell you the sex as soon as you wish."

"Not without Malcolm and Trip."

He sighed. The topic had the be brought up, and it fell to him to do it. "Yes, well, that reminds me of another issue I need to discuss with you."

"What is it, Doctor?"

"Your continued refusal to learn who fathered your child is not healthy. Both Commander Tucker and Lieutenant Reed have been placed under more emotional duress than the situation warrants. Your child will also need a more certain paternal environment. Finally, this is not healthy for you. I believe that you are trying to avoid the consequences of the truth, Ensign. These have a rather nasty habit of coming out one way or another. It will be much easier if you control the method by which the truth is revealed."

"Is that all, Doctor?" The icy reception he got was not promising.

"Indeed. I will need to see you in two weeks, though I hope to see you sooner."

She didn't say anything before walking out the door.

"That didn't go very well," he told his bat. "In fact, I hardly think it could've gone worse."

"Well, Lieutenant, it's a pleasant change to see you come to Sickbay voluntarily."

Malcolm looked distinctly uncomfortable. "Yes, well, are you busy?"

"Not at all. What can I do for you?"

Now that he was actually there, the question seemed to stall on his lips. "It's about the baby, and Hoshi."

"There is no need for concern. Both mother and child are healthy."

"Isn't there some way you can tell me if I'm the father or not? Don't I have a right to know?"

"I believe that the phrase is, "my hands are tied." I believe it would be in the best interest for all involved to know which of you is the father. In fact, I tried to explain my position to Ensign Sato two days ago. She was quite unreceptive."

Malcolm looked crestfallen. Curious. "May I ask a personal question, Lieutenant?"

"If I can reserve the right not to answer."

"Fair enough. Do you want the child to be yours?"

The man before him looked at the floor, but didn't hesitate in his answer. "Yes. I've loved her for a long time, and the thought that she might have another man's baby- even if he is my best friend, it hurts." The admission was clearly difficult for him to make. The rest remained unspoken. _What if she doesn't want me to be the father?_

"I believe that you and Commander Tucker should discuss with Ensign Sato the benefits to full disclosure, though stressing that you will both support her regardless. She needs friends, not coddling."

He nodded. "You won't tell them?"

"You can be sure of your privacy, Lieutenant."

"Thank you, Doctor."

"You're welcome." Once he was alone with his bat, he struck up a one-sided conversation with his upside-down confidant. "He really does love her. This is an interesting turn of events indeed."


	4. Truth

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed the first three chapters. I'm incorporating some of your suggestions in this chapter. I know, it's short, but you get to find out who the father is!  
  
Hoshi wouldn't have expected T'Pol to make an appeal, but there she was, standing with her hands clasped behind her back, telling her that she wished to speak of a private matter. She gave her consent.  
  
"It is inevitable that you will discover who the father of your child is. Perhaps it will be obvious soon after the infant is born, and you will see it's eyes are exact duplicates of Commander Tucker's. Alternatively, it could be several years, and you would discover that, like Lieutenant Reed, the child is allergic to pineapple." This was the most awkward conversation T'Pol had ever initiated, but she felt compelled to speak as she was a friend to all involved. This was a role that she navigated carefully. "Additionally, there is a lengthy process of legal recourse should either the Lieutenant or Commander wish to pursue it, though I doubt either would go against your wishes so directly." It was surprisingly difficult for her to tell the younger woman this, but it was apparently an aspect of human friendship she had simply not encountered before.  
  
"Et tu, T'Pol?"  
  
"Indeed."  
  
Hoshi considered for a moment how to respond, but the truth burst forth. T'Pol could be trusted. "I'm afraid. What if I find out who's the father, but he's killed on an away mission or it ruins all the relationships we've created?"  
  
"You will never have to raise your child alone, if that is what you fear."  
  
"That's part of it."  
  
"The entire crew will aid you. Both Commander Tucker and Lieutenant Reed have expressed their desire to support you in any manner you wish. As to the relationships you refer to, I believe that they will be best served by the truth."  
  
"I'm afraid, T'Pol."  
  
She didn't know how to respond to that. "The truth is not to be feared."  
  
"It's not that easy."  
  
"I did not say that the truth is easy. On the contrary, it is often the most difficult path to choose. However, it is the most worthwhile, and over the course of time the wisest choice."  
  
"That's what Doctor Phlox said, too." T'Pol said nothing. Sometimes she didn't understand how that Vulcan mind of hers worked. "I should go see him now, before I lose my nerve."  
  
"If you need my assistance, I will always help you to the best of my abilities."  
  
"Thanks, T'Pol. I needed to hear this." For all that she claimed not to understand humans, T'Pol knew when to speak her piece and when to leave. Hoshi appreciated that immensely.   
  
"You are welcome." The two women stepped out into the corridor and walked in opposite directions.  
  
"What's taking them so long?" Hoshi growled, pacing Sickbay.   
  
"When the ship was designed, neither Engineering or the Armory were placed close to Sickbay. Considering that most of my patients come from those two locations, I believe that to be a design flaw."  
  
"Finally!" They somehow managed to walk in the door at the same time.  
  
"You've waited eight weeks and now you can't wait five minutes?" Trip said.  
  
"Are you ready?" asked Doctor Phlox.  
  
"Hurry up before I change my mind!"  
  
"Very well."  
  
"Wait!" Trip and Malcolm almost screamed when she cried out that. "Tell us the sex first." Relieved that she hadn't changed her mind, the three men began to breath again. Although Phlox suddenly wished he had practiced a way to tell the trio before him.   
  
"Ensign, you are carrying a healthy daughter. She is, without a doubt, Lieutenant Reed's child."  
  
It was Trip who was the first to speak. "Congratulations."  
  
"Trip," said Hoshi, "I still want you to be close. Uncle Trip, maybe?"  
  
"Godfather?" suggested Malcolm.  
  
"I'd be honored. But you two- this is right. Hoshi, I see ya more like a sister. I mean, when I found out I might be the father, I didn't know what I wanted. Hell, I'm not sure what I mean. Just- this is right."  
  
She gave him a hug. "Thank you."  
  
Then he was gone, and Phlox had somehow disappeared, and she and Malcolm were left alone. Malcolm, the father of her daughter.   
  
"A girl," he mused.  
  
"If you..."  
  
"Let's just enjoy it like this for today. We're having a daughter. Tomorrow, we can think about it more."   
  
When they had left, Phlox turned to his bat. "What do you think of that? Humans are full of surprises." 


	5. What's Right Still Hurts

A/N: Again, I have to decide which way I want to take this story. One thing I do know is that this isn't going to be a-she's-having-his-baby-and-they-fall-in-love story, but the specifics I have yet to work out. In the meantime, I thought Trip needed a little time in the spotlight.

The door chimed for the second time. "C'min."

"Trip, Hoshi said you might need someone to talk to." Archer walked into his friend's quarters, concern radiating from his every move.

"I'm not the father, Jon." No use beating around the bush. Hoshi wouldn't have sent Jon if she minded him being told.

"Trip," he began.

"No. Don't say that yer sorry. I'm _not_ sorry. Hoshi- I like her, but I don't love her. She's a great friend. Malcolm's loved her for a while now. It's right like this. I told 'em so."

"I sense a 'but' coming."

"Yeah. It's right, but it still hurts like hell."

They sat in silence for a moment, Trip on his bed and Jon at the desk. Finally Jon spoke. "I have no idea what you're going through, Trip, but if there's anything I can do for you, just tell me."

"Still have that bottle of Zhivish ale?"

"Are you sure that's the best thing to do right now?"

"No. But there's only one way ta find out."

"You can't hide from it forever."

"One night?"

"You'll get a lecture from Phlox if you go in tomorrow hung over."

"So I won't go ta him."

"Take the morning off if you need it. If you want to get roaring drunk, I won't

stop you. It's still not going to help."

"You have a funny way of showin' your support."

"Am I right?"

"Yes."

"Are you going to get drunk anyway?"

"No. Doesn't mean I don't want ta, though."

"I know."

"Think it's wrong to be mad at her? Hoshi wouldn't let us find out, and so I've been in limbo here. It wasn't right, but I didn't mind before."

"It wasn't fair, but this situation is putting a lot of stress on all of you. You can be angry at her, Trip, but make sure it's for the right reasons."

"You're saying ta look before I leap?"

"Do you mean it when you say this is right?"

"Yes."

"Then it's bound to get easier."

"I hope so, Jon. I really hope so."


	6. All We Can Do

"Hoshi, how was the away mission?"

She shrugged. "Nothing special. Trip and the Head Engineer talked a lot, and engineerese is a language I've never been able to master."

Travis laughed. "How are you?"

"Doctor Phlox says our daughter is healthy. I'm doing alright, but it's still an emotional roller coaster."

Travis treasured his friendship with Hoshi, but the last four months she'd been busy. He supposed having a baby would do that to a woman. Also, the circumstances surrounding the conception of her daughter were unusual, to say the least. "I can't imagine." She resumed walking on the treadmill, while Travis moved on to the leg press.

"It's really a weird situation, but Malcolm and I are working through it. We're going to raise our daughter in as normal an environment as possible, considering that we're on a starship."

"I bet this involved talking with the Captain."

"Of course. We're taking two adjoining rooms and putting a smaller one in between, so she'll have a parent on either side. Actually, that was the easy part."

"And the hard part was?"

"Convincing Starfleet to let us stay onboard."

_Thunk!_ The weights dropped due to Travis's surprise. "They wanted to make you leave?"

"Not leave Starfleet, but _Enterprise_. I don't even know how many strings the captain had to pull for us. I know it's a little different, but this is home for both of us."

"Careful, you'll start sounding like a boomer, calling a ship home."

She laughed. "Wonders never cease." Silence reigned for a moment, and then she changed the subject. "I was worried about Trip for a while. He said that this is right, but still- well, you know he wants kids, and I've realized that I should have found out who the father was sooner. We're working it out now, the three of us as friends, but I wish I hadn't been so stupid."

"Hoshi, I know none of this is easy for you. Don't beat yourself up too much."

"It wasn't fair to them. I kept them in suspense to make things easier for myself. How selfish is that?"

"You're really angry at yourself about this, huh?"

"Yes."

"Have you apologized to them?"

"Several weeks ago, but it felt like too little, too late."

"Cut yourself some slack, Hoshi."

"Aye, Captain Mayweather."

"Hmm, I like the sound of that."

Meanwhile in Archer's quarters....

"I can't believe he missed that!"

"Do shots come any clearer?" Water polo lit up the screen, and both Jon and Trip bemoaned the missed shot over a box of cookies given to the captain as a gift on the last away mission.

"Nope. Pass me another cookie, will you?"

"Chocolate chip cookies are almost universal."

"Your mom's are better."

"Of course. Still, they're good."

"That was a good pass. Too bad it was Hawaii."

"Hey, we could still win."

"Yeah, and Travis could decide he wants to live planetside. Get real, Trip." Commiserating the certain loss, both men took another cookie. Porthos stretched his front paws out, nearly knocking the box over. Trip picked it up to save the precious cargo it held.

"Kinda lame, Jon. How bout...an' you'll stop feedin' Porthos cheese."

"Riiiight, mine was lame. How about, 'and T'Pol will stop arching her eyebrow.'"

"An' Malcolm could stop stashin' phase pistols in the shuttlepods." They burst out laughing.

"Speaking of Malcolm, how are you two doing? As friends, I mean?" He knew that Trip and Hoshi had, over the course of weeks, restored their friendship. Ultimately Trip felt that things were turning out for the best. Hoshi felt guilty, but relieved that she hadn't lost Trip's friendship. Malcolm being- well, Malcolm doing his best Vulcan impression at times, things had taken longer.

"Really good. I talked to him this mornin' about how I felt we were actin' like better friends than we were anymore. He said that he just doesn't know what ta do. I never saw it that way, but he didn't want me ta think he was rubbin' it in by talkin' about Hoshi, ya know?"

"I still can't believe this is all happening."

"Me neither. Some days I wake up an' think it was a really twisted dream. Even now, I hardly remember that first day. I've had dreams that seemed more real. It's kinda like I'm tryin' to remember a whole day from a couple snapshots."

Porthos flopped his head over with a small canine sigh. Trip took another cookie. "Sure we can win. Look at that intercept! Hawaii shouldn't 'a been able to pull that off!" he muttered through a rather full mouth. "I don't know, Jon. It's weird, but we're just movin' forward. That's all we can do."


	7. Simplicity

"Malcolm," began Hoshi, "we need to talk about names." She dipped her brush in the yellow paint and began to coat the duck with it. In a few more nights, the mobile would be finished. Now if she could just get Malcolm to shorten the ears on the bunny, things would be shaping up nicely.

"Names?"

She sighed. "For our daughter." Malcolm had a tendency to become very absorbed in his work. When it involved saving the ship, that was a good thing. When it involved perfecting the tail on a molded plastic rabbit, it was somewhat comical. The mobile was hardly going to have a harsh critic, but Malcolm went about the task as though he was Michelangelo. "The one who's already set to start kickboxing classes, remember?" They'd discussed that jokingly earlier.

"Right." He scowled at the rabbit he was molding and took off the tail. It was too big. "Any ideas?" Poking a bit at the plastic, he decided to start the tail over. For the fourth time.

"I thought we should pick something simple. It'd be the only simple thing in her life."

"So Arianna Katrine is out?" he teased. It felt good, this level of familiarity and comfort he shared with Hoshi. Of course it made him love her more, but he didn't mention that. It would just complicate things.

"That depends. Do you think Zinaida is simple?"

"Zinaida?"

"It's Russian. Actually, I don't even like it that much. It sounds old."

"What about Sarah?"

"Not elegant enough. Ashley?"

"That reminds me of the bully who tormented my sister." Finally he was satisfied with the tail. It was unlikely that his daughter was going to be as picky as he was, but he wanted the mobile to be perfect.

"Oooh, Malcolm, she's kicking again!" This had become common enough that he didn't ask before placing his hand over Hoshi's abdomen anymore. Their daughter was very active, as evidenced by the kickboxing joke.

"How about Ann?"

"That depends. With an 'e' or without?"

"Does it matter?"

"Of course it matters! I don't suppose you ever read _Anne of Green Gables_."

"As I matter of fact, I haven't. Although Madeline did." Now that she mentioned it, that book's title character had spelled her name with an 'e.'

"Oh. Well, I like A-N-N-E. It's classic."

"Anne Sato," he mused.

"Anne Sato Reed," she corrected.

Secretly, Malcolm was very pleased that Hoshi wanted to use his last name. "It has a nice ring to it."

She smiled, knowing that it meant the world to him that she wanted to use his last name, even though he tried to look cavalier.

"Do you think this orange is too dark for the beak?" So she could be as much as a perfectionist as he. Nothing was too good for their daughter.

"That depends. Has the duck bathed recently?"

"Okay, so I think I'll add a little more yellow. What color are you painting the bunny?"

"Green."

"Mint, Malcolm. Grass is green. That is mint. Unless you plan to have a grass-stained bunny."

"To match the dirty duck?"

She didn't dignify the comment with a response. Or at least, that was the plan. Instead she burst out laughing.

Nine hours later....

Trip was just starting to wonder if he should comm Malcolm when his usually-prompt friend walked into the mess hall. Ten minutes late- that had to be some kind of record. "Well, look who the cat dragged in."

They both grabbed a tray and started down the line. Malcolm only got one of Chef's "Rise and Shine" muffins, which Trip rated only slightly above ration packs. He took two sausage links and some scrambled eggs.

"What were you doing at oh-three-thirty this morning?" Malcolm asked as he unwrapped his tea bag.

"Sleepin.'"

"Do you know what I was doing at oh-three-thirty?"

Trip added one pump of cream to his coffee before answering. Interestingly, Malcolm put two sugars in his tea. That meant one of two things: either he was too tired to notice, or needed energy so badly he was willing to suffer "over sweetened" tea. Funny, he drank it just like his normal tea. Trip had brought him "over sweetened" tea in Sickbay once, and the lecture he received convinced Doctor Phlox that Malcolm was well enough to finish recovering in his quarters. "Not sleepin?'" he guessed. It didn't look like Malcolm had slept much.

"No, I was not sleeping. I was squeezing limes."

"Uh, that's different. What was Hoshi doin?'"

He sighed. "Squeezing lemons."

"Lemonade an' limeade?"

He nodded. "Mixed together to create a truly atrocious drink. That's the second time this week Hoshi's craved it. Of course, she has today off."

"Just think, you're two thirds of the way through."

"And the last third might just kill me. Do you know how much sugar she put in that stuff?"

Trip just laughed.


	8. Who He Left Behind

A/N: This had veered into AU now.

"It wasn't the cravins that killed ya, Malcolm," murmered Trip, remembering a conversation they'd had. "But ya saved us." The funeral would be in a few days, once Hoshi could attend. He could hardly believe it. The weeks it had been since Malcolm had been bemoaning his lack of sleep seemed like scant hours, and now he was in a torpedo casing. Fitting for the armory officer, but unbelievable none the less. And for those he left behind, incredibly painful.

They'd defeated the Reptilian fleet, with help from the Primates and Aquatics. Malcolm had found a weakness just in time, but he had to fire the last torpedoes manually. In doing so, he was killed. Trip was filled with a renewed hatred of the Xindi. They were defeated, but had taken so many with them. He'd never really understood the concept of a hollow victory before, but now he did. Malcolm would never see his daughter. Just when he was getting used to living without Lizzie, they killed Malcolm.

"I'm gonna take care of 'em for ya. Hoshi's in coma now, but Dr. Phlox is pretty sure she'll pull through. Anne's fine. Yer girls are gonna be okay. You saved 'em." Jon, whose job it would be to tell Hoshi of Malcolm's death, was dreading the moment. Trip was glad that wasn't his job, but he'd be there.

T'Pol walked in. "I am sorry, Commander. I did not intend to intrude."

"No, it's okay. I'm just sayin' goodbye." To his surprise, she didn't comment on how illogical it was to talk to a dead man. "What brings ya here?"

"I am uncertain." Well, that was different. "Commander, I have become aware of a human colloquialism that seems very appropriate. Life is not fair."

Wonders never ceased. If circumstances had been different, he would've smiled. "His daughter's gonna know what an amazin' man he was, T'Pol. We've gotta make sure of that."

"I do not doubt that Ensign Sato will impart that information."

"Phlox says she's gonna be fine. He told me ta go sleep, but I can't."

"Would a session of neuropressure be beneficial, Commander?"

He looked at the coffin in front of him. "Actually, T'Pol, I don't think it would be. Thanks, though."

"Commander, may I ask you a confidential question?"

"Shoot." Her eyebrow flew up. "Yeah, go ahead."

"Is it uncommon for humans to think that they would trade their life for that of another?"

"Not at all, T'Pol. In fact, I was thinkin' it myself." He tried to push back the tears, but they came anyway. "Malcolm should be there when Anne's born. I keep thinkin' of the things he'll never see. Her first steps. Her first day of school. Her graduation." Tears were flowing freely now. "He'll never give her away when she gets married. An' I'd take his place in there in a second, if I could."

"As would I, Commander." He was floored. That was about the last thing Trip expected T'Pol to say. Being surprised by this, he decided he might as well as well ask her something.

"Even Malcolm eventually let go of some protocol notions. Do ya think maybe, since we've known each other a while, ya could call me somethin' other than 'Commander' when we're off duty?"

She had heard this asked before, but for some reason T'Pol agreed. Logic could not explain her reasoning, but she had learned some things simply defied logic. "Very well. Is your given name acceptable?"

"Sure." They were silent for a moment, looking at the coffin. Trip sighed. Had it only been the week before that the entire senior staff played Monopoly? Even T'Pol had played to learn more about human culture, albeit less enthusiastically than Dr. Phlox. They'd had so much fun, and been so lively. Malcolm would never land on Free Parking again, and it seemed so childish how he'd begrudged his friend the three times he'd landed on it then.

"Damn those bastards!" he exclaimed, slamming his fist on the table without even noticing the pain. "They had no right!"

"Lieutenant Reed knew the risks of what he did. He also knew that it was the only way to ensure the survival of the ship."

"But they _had no right_, T'Pol! Goin' around, killin' people like that, it's just not right. And those Sphere Builders, I'd love ta get my hands around a couple necks in that realm. They go makin' us look bad ta expand, pickin' us out. Why us? We just wanna explore and live. We don't wanna hurt anyone. Why the hell does everyone hate us?"

She had listened to his tirade silently, and he was surprised –again- by her lack of rebuke. "Not everyone hates humans, Charles."

"Pretty close."

"I believe that Lieutenant Reed would not wish for you to become 'bitter' over his death."

"Probly. I'll start tomorrow. Tonight I'm gonna sit an' stew, an' hate the whole universe, an' feel lousy."

"That cannot be beneficial."

"You'd be surprised, T'Pol." She merely raised an eyebrow. "It's kinda a catharsis, or somethin' fancy-soundin' like that."

"Very well. I hope this is successful."

"'Night, T'Pol." She nodded, and he walked out the door.


	9. Stranger Things Have Never Happened

"Did you love him, Hoshi?" Travis asked. He was in her quarters with her after Malcolm's funeral. It was a loaded question to be sure, but he doubted that she'd asked herself, and she needed to know. Sometimes, friends end up asking the hard questions for each other.

She was shocked by the question. Images of Malcolm came flooding through her mind. Finally she shook her head. "I don't know. What I do know is that he was my best friend, and my daughter's father." Her hand rested on her abdomen. "It's impossible to imagine what we'll do now."

He knew that Hoshi had just three weeks left in her pregnancy, and all the plans she and Malcolm had made for Anne were dashed by his death. "Hoshi, you know we're all here for you. Whatever you need."

"Thanks Travis." They were quite for a moment. "I know dozens of languages, but I can't find any with a word to describe how I feel right now."

His heart ached for her. Mentally he berated the universe for being so terribly unfair. He would have done anything to change places with Malcolm- a feeling he knew several of the senior staff shared, especially Trip. The engineer had survivor's guilt written all over him. He'd just left Hoshi's quarters as Travis was going in.

She sighed. "I just can't believe it."

Suddenly everything froze, even the stars outside. It was though time itself had stopped.

"Time _has_ been stopped. You're smarter than you look, kid."

"Mayweather to Bridge. Intruder alert!" He didn't know who was in front of him in a Starfleet uniform, but he didn't belong on _Enterprise_.

"That's what they tell you to do in training. Tell me, what happens when the intruder takes you outside of time as you know it? What do you do then?"

That was a very good question. Travis had no idea. The man looked to be human, but didn't belong. He even admitted that he was an intruder.

"I'll tell you why I'm doing all of this. Everyone is right. Malcolm Reed wasn't supposed to die." He wasn't sure where this stranger was going, but he was lost. "The man insists on being a martyr. It's terribly destructive." The stranger shook his head.

Travis ventured a question of his own. "Where do I come into all of this?" It seemed like a very reasonable thing to ask.

"Anne Sato Reed needs her father. It is crucial to the preservation of the timeline."

"Are you working with Daniels?"

The stranger laughed. "Oh, no. I'm looking forward much farther than they can. They're engaged in children's play from my perspective. Centuries behind the times."

"So you're from _farther_ into the future?"

"Yes. I can see some things that they can't- or maybe simply don't. It may not look it to you, but Daniels' technology has its limits. Malcolm Reed's influence on his daughter is as crucial as her life."

"So you can take us back in time and save him?"

"Well, it's not quite that easy."

He sighed. "I had a feeling you were going to say that." To his right, Hoshi still stood motionless, her hand protectively over her stomach. "What's the catch?"

"Somebody has to send out that final torpedo manually. There are two people on this ship who have the knowledge required to modify it so that it knocks out the Xindi. Though others could learn, of course."

"Malcolm naturally, and Trip."

"Exactly. They are the only two who know as events unfold, and in order for _Enterprise_ to be victorious one of them must sacrifice himself. I can't just alter the timeline so they both live- it's not allowed. Please don't ask me to explain, because it's terribly complicated. Anyway, both men are instrumental in the timeline. We thought- well, that doesn't matter."

"Maybe it does," mused Travis.

"What?"

"Can't you make sure that whatever you expected to happen is what happens?"

"Malcolm Reed must teach someone to modify the torpedoes. The lesson would take hours, and we expected he would have shown someone previously. His devotion to his daughter has not altered his sense of duty."

"So tell him this."

"If he knew that the person who fires the last torpedo will die, do you really think he would show another person?"

"Oh. No." Malcolm would never allow that. Travis was beginning to see how this whole business got complicated.

"Now you see the problem."

Travis racked his brain for an answer. Finally it came to him. "Teach me."

The stranger looked at him closely. "Do you understand what this means?"

"It means that Anne will have her father."

"And you?"

"I know I won't survive, but if I can save Malcolm, it's worth it. He and Hoshi deserve a chance at happiness."

"You are a true friend, Travis Mayweather. Very well, _you_ will learn to modify the torpedo."

And thus he spent what seemed like several hours (although really time had no meaning) learning about torpedoes and their nuances, how they could be modified especially to penetrate certain types of materials and deliver charges at varying rates. Most importantly, he learned how to jury-rig one so that it could destroy the Xindi's massive lead ship. It was frustrating work, but he looked from time to time at Hoshi, motionless with a lost and forlorn look on her face, and was motivated to keep going. The virtual torpedo produced by the stranger was worked and reworked to his satisfaction.

"You know what you need to about torpedoes, Travis. Are you ready to put it into practice?"

He looked at Hoshi again. "I just have one question."

"Which is?"

"What's your name?"

The stranger smiled. "Oh, it hardly matters."

"I'd just like to know."

Shrugging his shoulders, the man replied, "Quincy."

* * *

A/N: The intent here is to show Travis as a noble character and loyal friend. However, I find him challenging to write, so any comments on this would be much appreciated. 


	10. Sacrifice

Hoshi Sato didn't like the way the battle was going one bit. She also didn't like the fact that once words fail, a communications officer has little to do that feels useful. Currently she was trying to listen in on some of the conversation between Reptilian ships.

Suddenly Travis yelled from the helm, "Hoshi, **move**!" He said it with such conviction that she didn't think to question him, but moved as fast as she could get her bulky stomach away. As she scurried towards the center of the bridge, a direct hit caused her console to overload –or so she guessed- and a spectacular display of short-lived fireworks shot up form it.

Captain Archer, who'd kept her from falling when they were hit, kindly gave her his chair. Malcolm was trying not to worry about her and failing miserably. Ever time he got a shot out it was followed by a glance her way. For once she didn't blame him. The console incident had been far too close for comfort.

How had Travis known that? When the battle was over she'd have to ask him. Right now he was too busy trying to give Malcolm good shots.

"Captain, if we modify the torpedoes, we can double their effectiveness."

"Do it, Malcolm."

He looked at her again. "Sir, they have to be modified and fired manually."

"Is there any other way?"

Speaking to the captain but never taking his eyes off Hoshi, Malcolm replied. "This is our best shot."

"If we put the Menson regulators on a higher frequency that could decrease the resonance in the inner casing, which would allow us to build more tension. Impact would spread out in a greater radius."

"Exactly," agreed Malcolm.

"Travis? How do you know all this?" Captain Archer apparently knew no more about Travis's sudden armory knowledge than Hoshi did.

"It's a long story."

"Captain, long-range sensors detect four more Reptilian ships, heavily armed. They will be within firing range in twelve minutes," reported T'Pol from the science station. She seemed just a fraction less calm than usual.

"I'm going to adjust those torpedoes," Malcolm said, still looking at Hoshi like she was the last woman in the universe. That, she reasoned, meant it had to be dangerous.

"No sir. I can do it."

"Travis?" Archer almost fell over as the pilot dropped _Enterprise_ down. Malcolm managed to get off three successive shots without looking at his console.

"If we turn the ignition chamber..." Travis trailed off into technical language beyond Hoshi's direct knowledge. She understood what was happening, though: it was a suicide mission, and Travis wanted to spare Malcolm. For her, and for Anne. "...then we can get two hits out of one torpedo, one on top of the other," he finished.

"It's my responsibility as-" Malcolm began.

Travis cut him off sharply. "It's your responsibility as a father to let me do this. Please, Malcolm."

Both men had apparently forgotten their captain. "Travis, how do you know all this?"

"I don't have time to explain, sir. It's vital that I go down there."

"You're certain?"

"More certain than I've ever been," he answered without hesitation.

"Permission to leave the bridge granted." He had the weight of Earth on his shoulders, and this couldn't be helping. Hoshi would never want to be a captain.

"But sir," protested Malcolm, clearly not pleased that he'd been cut out of this.

"Permission to leave the bridge denied, Lieutenant." He turned to Travis before the 'lift shut. "Good luck."

Ensign MacLeon took over for Travis at the helm, and Malcolm strategically fired the phase cannons with an unreadable expression on his face.

Hoshi was grateful for the chair. Knowing what Travis was willing to do made her soul ache. _Don't take him,_ she silently begged an unfair universe, _he's got to live. _

The hardest part was that she knew, deep down, that her pleading was futile.


	11. Hurt

"It should have been me," stated Malcolm firmly.

"Travis knew what he was getting into, Malcolm. We'll all miss him terribly. But you, Anne, and I- he gave us a special gift. We owe it to him to go on and live our lives. He wanted you to be able to raise Anne."

"It was my duty," he replied, sounding as dry as though he was giving the weather report back on Earth.

"I know. Travis knew it, too. He wouldn't want you to beat yourself up over this."

"Hoshi, how can you possibly expect me not to feel guilty?"

"I don't expect you not to feel guilty. I just think you're taking it a little far."

"Another man died doing my job. How far, exactly, is too far?"

"When you crawl into your shell and shut everyone else out." Well. He hadn't been expecting a solid answer. Hoshi Sato never ceased to amaze him.

He owed it to her –and, he supposed, to Travis- to be honest. "I don't know what else to do, Hoshi. It should have been me. How can I forget that?"

"You don't have to. What you're forgetting is that Travis knew what he was doing, and he did it anyway. We'll get through this, Malcolm. It won't always hurt so much."

"He wanted me to be able to raise my daughter, but my personal life is interfering with my duties. I'm going to request a transfer to Earth; Research and Development, probably."

"Are you running away?"

"Maybe I am. All I know is that Travis died so I could be a father, and I can't throw that away. A Starfleet vessel isn't an appropriate place to raise a child." Perhaps that was the beginning of his acceptance. Hoshi dearly hoped so. Travis's death hurt more than any phase pistol she'd encountered, and she never expected the sense of loss to fully go away. To lose herself in it, though, was exactly what Travis would not have wanted. She knew that at his funeral she was going to be an emotional wreck, yet she knew that Anne was going to bring her joy and Travis would not want her to miss out on a second of it.

"That's what a lot of people told us."

"They were right. We have to leave."

"The thought had crossed my mind," she admitted. "I want Anne to be safe." Tears welled up in her eyes. "I'm going to miss him. He was a good friend." She'd once heard something that made no sense, and now she understood perfectly. _Often, it is harder to accept a sacrifice than it is to make it._

"Travis was a good man."

"He just loved it out here. He loved life, and piloting. Sometimes when I wondered what we're doing out here, I thought of Travis and his enthusiasm, and I saw."

Two themes merged into one in the conversation. Travis and the future were held together by his sacrifice, which had changed everything. Hoshi leaned in and pulled Malcolm into a hug. "I know we're going to be okay, but it hurts."

Most of his life, Malcolm had fought the emotions that ran in him. The past three years he had changed for the better, but it was so easy to fall back on his old habits when things got difficult. He forced himself to press onward, for Hoshi and for Anne. "Yes, it does." He sighed, realizing that he would not have been able to feel his daughter move and hug the woman he loved if not for Travis's sacrifice. Soon, he would tell Hoshi how he felt. It seemed like something he should have done a long time ago. For now, though, he was content to know that there was someone who understood him and shared his pain. "Bloody hell, it hurts." It felt good to admit it aloud.


	12. Announcing the Birth of Anne Sato Reed

A/N: Finally, the conclusion is ready! This story really snowballed and took on a life of its own, in part with the help of my readers. Thanks to everyone for sticking with me, and I hope you find the last chapter satisfactory.

"Doctor," said Hoshi Sato through gritted teeth, "your readings on giving birth neglected to mention that it hurts so much!"

"Now, Ensign, your daughter is almost here. I'm sure that you will consider the pain minimal once you see her."

In all truth, dealing with Hoshi was the least of Phlox's worries. His wives had expressed similar sentiments and he was used to that. Lieutenant Reed wasn't even bad. As nervous fathers go, he was supportive and kept his own impatience fairly well disguised. Over the past three hours he had lent Hoshi his hand to squeeze (something that might need medical investigation after Anne was born) and listened to her tirades on what men got out of without any sarcastic replies. It was the rest of the crew that made the doctor want to cut all comm links.

Commander Tucker had spent the past three hours in Sickbay pacing. He was outside of the curtained area around Hoshi's bed, and every time Phlox left the enclave the commander was instantly by his side, asking how much longer it would take. Were it not for the unique aspects to the conception of Anne Sato Reed, the doctor would have banished Tucker not long into the first hour of Hoshi's labor. Additionally, he kept asking for ways to help. It seemed to Phlox that he'd made it clear the first time Tucker asked that there wasn't much an engineer could do in delivering a baby in a perfectly well-equipped Sickbay.

Commander Tucker wasn't the only one, however. Every twenty minutes Captain Archer would page from the bridge and ask for a progress report. "Babies make their own timetable, Captain," he'd said. Archer didn't seem content with this and continued his request for updates.

Sub-Commander T'Pol had the good sense to simply request that he would "notify her when Ensign Sato and Lieutenant Reed's daughter is born." That was preferable to continually pestering him for reports. While T'Pol herself was not always an ideal patient, she was made an ideal patient's friend.

Most of the female crewmembers had found various reasons to stop by Sickbay and offer words of encouragement. Phlox was thinking of simply making a shipwide announcement when Anne was born. It would save a lot of trouble.

Word had gotten out quickly that the unconventional family would be leaving _Enterprise_. They were a week away from Earth, and after leave Reed would take over as Weaponry Division Leader at Starfleet Research and Development. Sato had planned to retire from Starfleet, but had been talked into a leave of absence and, following that, a teaching position at Starfleet Academy. Teaching the best and the brightest elementary Andorian, advanced exolinguistics, and advanced Vulcan had been too good an offer to resist.

Knowing this, Lieutenant Hess had put together a post-baby shower. This way everyone could see Anne before she left. Commander Tucker was also working on a goodbye party for her parents.

That thought brought Phlox a moment of sadness. Ensign Mayweather had always held great enthusiasm for parties, and there was hardly a party on board that he hadn't helped plan in some way or another. It had been just a few weeks since the young man died, and the pain of his loss was still acute. Reed, and Tucker to a lesser degree, still felt guilt over his sacrifice.

Still, it was a time to celebrate life. Anne was going to be a healthy baby, and, despite the impatience of the entire crew, her delivery was progressing splendidly.

"Archer to Sickbay." Had it been twenty minutes already?

"Phlox here, Captain. I assume you would like another update?"

"Yes, thank you." This time, the captain managed to sound just a little sheepish.

"Everything is going fine. I expect Anne to be born in the next hour."

"Another _hour_?" groaned Commander Tucker, fortunately not loud enough for anyone but Phlox to hear.

"Excellent. How's Hoshi doing?"

"Currently, she is informing Lieutenant Reed of how fortunate he is that women carry children."

Archer chuckled. "I'll remember that. Thank you Doctor."

"Of course, Captain. Sickbay out."

"Argh!" cried his patient suddenly.

"What's the matter?" Malcolm Reed clearly had the worrying part of his role down. Then again, he'd never lacked in that department.

"That was by far the worst one yet." Yes, Phlox thought, the delivery was progressing nicely.

* * *

At last Anne was bundled in her mother's arms and the announcement had been made to the whole ship (with the parents' permission, of course). Phlox was just going to keep them in Sickbay for a few more minutes, but went off to the other side of Sickbay to give the new family some privacy.

He was just dropping food in to his bat's cage when he noticed a most interesting event. Clearly thinking that he wouldn't be seen (and Phlox really saw only by accident), Malcolm Reed leaned over and kissed Hoshi Sato. She seemed pleased.

"Well, imagine that," he quietly told his bat, who was uninterested in the behavior of humans and cared only for the small beetle that had been dropped into its cage. "He finally did something. I wonder how this will change their relationship."

* * *

"Are you still worried about being a father?" Anne was happily settled into her crib, and Hoshi was lying in bed, exhausted. Giving birth was hard enough, and then staying awake through all the well-wishers had worn her out completely. Trip in particular hadn't wanted to leave.

"A bit."

"Malcolm, you're going to be fine. Besides, we're going to do this together."

"Maybe this isn't the best time to ask, but what do you think about getting a house on Earth?"

She yawned. "I wasn't planning on raising Anne on the streets."

He cleared his throat. "I meant together. My father- I don't want to be like him, Hoshi. How can I be a good father if I'm not there?"

Hoshi smiled. "That sounds nice. Can we talk about it more tomorrow?"

"Of course. Sleep well, Hoshi."

That only lasted about two hours, of course, with a newborn. Life had certainly changed, and it all hinged on that first day. Nine months later, and he still hardly remembered the day.

Yet he wouldn't change it for anything. Had Travis even known what an amazing gift he gave? Maybe someday, if the universe went as he hoped, he and Hoshi would have another child, and if it were a boy, he thought they should name him Travis.

Hoshi had been right. The best way to honor Travis was to live, and looking at his daughter, he realized that he had a lot to live for.

No, he might not ever remember that first day, but he wouldn't change it at all.

THE END


End file.
